After the Rain Clears
by Mew Etchari
Summary: After the rain clears, there's nothing but beauty in its place. A KratosxAnna fanfic. Read if you want to see a new take on it.
1. The begining

_Etchari: I am a hard core KratosxAnna fan. This is totally a weird take on the subject. Yet I hope you enjoy it because its so…different._

* * *

The rain fell steadily on the red haired man. Sparkling transparent wings flapped loosely from his back as he walked down the beaten road. This Angelus project seemed to be rather important to Lord Yggdrasil. 

'_Why am I being sent to watch her…?'_ He hadn't been elated to here he was being sent to monitor the human until her exosphere cultivation was complete. Exciting? Not in the least.

He approached a large metal structure where the project was being contained. Sighing to himself, Kratos threw open the metal door. He was blinded by the burst of light that came at him from inside for only a second.

"Um…good evening." A voice came from inside.

He turned to face the small woman, taken a bit off guard as he looked at her. For the first thing, she was beautiful. The next thing, she was smiling. "Anna Irving?"

"You tell me your name and I'll tell you mine."

This took the angel aback. No one had ever given him that reply. "My name is Kratos Aurion."

She smiled again. "Then yes, I would be Anna." She frowned, beginning to move about the small room. "Let me guess, you're my new monitor?"

"Yes."

She tossed him a look over her shoulder, her brown hair fluttering in her face. "You aren't that talkative, are you?"

Kratos still stood in the doorway, dripping wet. "I'm quite surprised you are."

"Hmph. Because of this exsphere, right?" She reached up and touched the exsphere planted on her chest close to her neck. "Well, join the club, I suppose. I heard Yggdrasil didn't even expect me to last this long."

Kratos had heard that as well. _'She must be a remarkable person if she wants to live that much…'_

She frowned and walked over, grabbing Kratos by the arm and dragging him farther inside. "Well, come on now. You're letting in all the rain." She closed the door behind him, sighing. "Men..."

Kratos took a moment to look around the small building. There was a small eating area in one corner and a cot in the other. A bare light hung in the middle of the ceiling over a worn stool. Anna frowned. "Barren, isn't it? I've lost count of how many days I've been in here."

Kratos felt a pang of sympathy shoot through him. He dismissed the thought in a somewhat panic. "I see why they are surprised you've lasted." He stated coldly.

"I'm hard to get rid of." Anna started wandering around the metal walls, "But it's mostly just lonely. All of my monitors just sit and stare at me, no matter what I say to them. So it gets quiet." She flashed Kratos a brilliant grin, "But I can tell you'll be different."

Kratos's eyebrow arched. This woman was far different from any he had ever met. Most people were severely intimidated the first time they saw him. Yet Anna acted as if she wasn't afraid of anything. "Different how?'

She stopped, planting one hand on her hip. "Well, you're talking to me, aren't you?"

Kratos paused. "Hmph." He turned away from her and started observing a pile of books stacked against the bare wall.

Anna laughed. "Heh, I'm actually glad you're here. My old monitor never let me go outside or anything."

Kratos shot her an annoyed look. "And what makes you think I will?"

"I just know."

Kratos shook his head in annoyance. This was going to be a long few months. He stooped down and picked up the book laying on the top of the pile and flipped through in pure boredom. He stopped at a page where a name was circled in crude pen. In confusion, he turned to Anna, who was humming as she finished up a little bit of food. "Why…is the name Lloyd circled in this book?"

Anna looked up, smiling brightly. "Oh, I've always loved that name. Doesn't it sound perfect? Lloyd Irving…"

A smirk tugged at the corners of Kratos's mouth. "You realize that if you had a child, his last name would most likely change to his father's." It was simply common sense.

Anna propped her elbows on the table, resting her chin in her hands. "Fine. Lloyd Aurion, then."

Kratos slammed the book shut and glared at her. She burst out laughing, shaking her head. "Wow, you really can't take a joke, can you? I guess everyone that works for Yggdrasil is the same."

Her laugh annoyed him. Not because it was weird or loud, but because it made him feel…happy. He realized why new monitors kept being assigned to Anna. No one must be able to stand her for very long.

The rain started drumming harder, making loud noises that vibrated through the area. Anna frowned. "It's probably getting late. Of course, you don't sleep, do you? Being an angel."

Kratos shook his head. "No…"

Anna sighed, standing up from the table and sitting on the edge of the thin cot. "Well, I'm going to bed." She grabbed a rag on the side of the bed and threw it to Kratos. "Here. You're still wet."

Kratos easily caught the light rag. "Um…thanks…"

"No problem." She smiled, "Goodnight."

Kratos sat down on the stool and watched the sleeping woman. _'It's hard to believe she's the host body for such a powerful exsphere…'_

* * *

"I don't even remember the last time I was outside." 

Kratos grimaced at her. She had nagged him to no end to let her from her metal prison. He simply let her out to shut her up…or so he had convinced himself.

Anna grinned at him. "Look! Everything is fresher now after that rain!" She twirled in place with child like joy, "After the rain clears, there's nothing but beauty in its place."

Kratos folded his arms across his chest, thoroughly disinterested. Anna stopped and stared at him. "Don't you ever enjoy life?" She questioned, sounding put off with his unenthusiastic attitude.

Kratos grunted. "What is there to enjoy? Every day is exactly the same. A day is just another obstacle to get by."

Anna folded her arms in the same way as Kratos. "How do you think I feel? Do you think I asked for them to use my body to cultivate experiments? Do you think I asked to live in a metal cage?"

Their eyes met. Kratos stared hard at her. "Then why do you smile? If you never wanted this, why whenever I see you do you seem happy?"

Anna frowned, looking down. "My life is getting shorter by the day. I wasted the first years of my life frowning, now I'm gonna make up for it by looking at the bright side."

There was a long silence between them. _'…she doesn't deserve this. She doesn't deserve her life to be taken…'_ He couldn't believe he, who had been loyal to Yggdrasil for years, was now doubting him.

"Where are you from, Anna?"

Anna seemed surprised by the question. "I was born in Luin." She grinned.

Kratos's eyebrow arched. "The city of destruction?"

"Well you don't have to say it like that…"

Kratos stared at the exsphere. "How did you get caught up in this?"

She paused, looking him straight in the eye. "You tell me."

Another long, awkward silence.

A weak yipping caught their attention at the same time. Anna looked up. "What is that?"

Kratos shrugged, unconcerned. "An animal?"

"It sounds hurt." She turned and started searching around the brush, "Where is it?"

Kratos walked over, looking over her shoulder. "Why are you concerned?"

She straightened, "Because I want to help it." She stated firmly, once again searching through the bushes.

Kratos gave up trying to stop her and watched as she pushed through the low growths. She gasped suddenly. "Awww, it's hurt!"

She stood again, holding a strange white creature. Kratos's brow furrowed. "What…is that?"

She glared at him, cuddling the baby animal. "It's a dog!"

"That thing?" Kratos shook his head, "Are you sure?"

"Well, a puppy." She observed its paw, "Look! It's hurt!"

Kratos leaned foreword to see a large thorn stuck its paw, bleeding ever so slightly. Anna set the big-eared creature down and started to pick at the thorn. "We need to get it off!"

Kratos grabbed her wrist and held it away from the bleeding paw. "You'll only make it go in farther at this rate." He grumbled, "Here, let me do it."

Startled, Anna backed off and allowed Kratos to easily take the thorn from the dog's paw. "There. Happy now?" He asked Anna, throwing the thorn to the side.

An impressed look was written on Anna's face. "You know what I think? I think that you have a good heart, even if you try to act like you don't."

"Hmph, think what you like." He shook his head, standing up. "Come on, we better get back."

He was taken off guard as the dog barked and started jumping up on his leg, whimpering happily. Anna laughed. "Hey, he likes you!"

"Joy." Kratos sighed sarcastically, shooting the dog an annoyed look.

"Can I keep him?"

Kratos shook his head. She sounded like a four-year-old begging her parents. "No."

"Hm. Well, I don't care. I'll keep him anyway." Anna decided definitely.

"You can't do that." Kratos argued.

"Why? I'm lonely. He needs a home." She argued back, causing the dog to whimper.

They stood defiantly, facing each other to see who would give up first. Kratos growled. "Just…fine. If you'll shut up."

"Good!" She brightened once again, "I think I'll call him Noishe!"

"Noishe?" Kratos started walking with her back towards the containment area.

"Yup."

Kratos desperately shook his head. "Fine."

Anna smiled. "Kratos?"

"What?"

"Thank you."

* * *

_Chapter two soon to come. Yes, I know it goes against some of the stuff in the game, but it's an interesting concept, huh? I'll try to update soon._


	2. Flee into the night

Yay! Chapter two! Thank you for your nice comments, everyone. Sorry it took me so unbelievably long to put this up. I had writers block/memory lapse/I've been really sidetracked. So, so, so sorry! Please enjoy this chapter.

* * *

Kratos's hands clenched at his side. "What did you say?" 

The blue hologram flickered, threatening to make the clear picture of Yggdrasil vanish. "I'm sending Kvar to remove her exsphere. She's been alive too long."

Kratos showed no emotion, hiding what he felt. He had been with Anna for six months already. Six dream-like months…

"Something wrong with that?" A cruel edge had crawled into Yggdrasil's voice.

Kratos didn't reply. "…no." He lied through his teeth, unclenching his hands only to tighten them again a second later.

"Good, then he'll be there tonight." Yggdrasil nodded and the picture vanished. Kratos stood alone outside, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

Noishe whimpered beside him, his thick tail swinging to and fro leisurely. Kratos stood, staring straight ahead at the dark sky. "Looks like it's about to storm…"

He sighed and kneeled next to Noishe. "What should I do?" He mumbled, feeling a bit silly talking to a dog, "I can't let them just kill her…" His brow furrowed. His own words didn't surprise him anymore.

Noishe barked and jumped up on his knee, tilting his small head from side to side. It was amazing how fast Noishe was growing under Anna's care. Almost abnormal. Kratos still wouldn't admit to himself that the large eared creature was a dog, though.

Thunder rumbled off in the distance, threatening rain once more. At a loss, Kratos sat and stared at the structure that contained Anna. Kvar was coming to kill her, and there was nothing he could do.

The angel stood abruptly, knocking Noishe off balance. "No, I won't…I can't let them harm her." He almost dreaded the price he may have to pay, but he would dread it for Anna far more.

The door was thrown open with unnecessary force. Anna jumped, turning partially to glare at Kratos. "You just can't make a peaceful entrance, can you?"

Kratos didn't answer. Anna's own face became serious. "Kratos?" Silence. "Kratos, what's wrong?" She stepped towards him, showing concern that Kratos wasn't accustomed too.

For a split second, Kratos second-guessed himself. "N-nothing."

"Liar." Anna made a face, "Anyone could tell by looking at you that something's wrong." She paused, her brow knitting together in worry, "What is it?" She pleaded quietly, "I've never seen you look like this."

Kratos stared at her a second before stepping away from the doorway. "Yggdrasill is sending someone to remove your exsphere…tonight. If you do not run, they will kill you." He took a slow breath, "And…I can't allow that."

He had never pictured himself saying this six months ago. There were times where he almost could have killed her himself. But none of that mattered anymore. Nothing except Anna being safe.

Anna caught her breath. "Wh-what?"

"Anna, they want to kill you."

Tears began to form in the woman's large eyes. "Kratos…"

"Go! Before they come!" Kratos cut her off fiercely, "I may be able to hold them off."

The woman began slowly to creep towards the exit, but stopped in the gaping doorway, tears creating visible tracks on her face. "Kratos, why are you doing this for me?" She demanded quietly between gasps holding back open sobs.

Kratos knew the answer. Did he know how to tell her? There, even the great Lord Kratos was stumped. He looked away. "Just hurry. Now."

He truly didn't want to see her leave. He never envisioned himself actually missing her six months ago. Now, it was far too real. The angel could hear Anna step outside into the open air. He silently wished she would just leave and put him out of his misery.

"I…I can't."

Kratos turned his head with a jerk, seeing Anna standing outside the door, her hands clasped near her exsphere. "Kratos, I'm afraid. I-I have nowhere to go, no one to turn to." She turned, her hands clenched at her sides. "Please, Kratos, I need you with me!"

Kratos was stunned by her outburst. Anna had put on such a serene, cheeky face before. Yet here…she appeared delicate and weak. Her whole body was shaking with fear of the unknown that lay beyond her. Kratos dropped his eyes to the ground. _'She needs me…for the first time someone wants me. And I know…I…'_

In his naturally rough nature, Kratos stalked foreword and gripped her small hand in his larger one, half dragging her along. "Come, we may have already lost time."

Anna seemed stunned for a few seconds, but she soon caught her balance beneath her and managed to run a step or two to catch up to Kratos's long strides. "Y-you'll go with me?' She asked weakly, her joy even hard to mask in weakness.

Kratos nodded stiffly. "Mithos…shall hate me, perhaps." He thought aloud. He had never really agreed with Mithos's twisted ideals, but when it came to the cost of Anna…

Anna said nothing. A small whine was heard near to them, followed by the sound of a twig snapping in half. Anna looked back. "Noise…"

"Let him run along. He's little, but he's strong."

Anna didn't argue, though if the situation had been any different, Kratos didn't doubt she would have. They both had became rather attached to the little 'dog'.

Lightning illuminated the forest for a split second before draping it back in darkness, followed by a low rumble that seemed to shake the ground. It was at that point the rain began to fall.

He could feel Anna struggle as he held fast to her hand. He wished he could fly to go faster, but he didn't dare. Not with Kvar coming. He would be spotted in a second.

Kratos became thoroughly soaked in the rain. Anna's weak laugh surprised him after another crack of thunder. "You just can't stay out of the rain, can you?" She whispered hoarsely. Kratos frowned.

_Flashback_

The heavy metal door was flung open once more. Kratos entered, ducking slightly under the door as he walked in, Noishe prancing at his heels. Anna was already there to slam the door shut in order to block out the pouring rain.

"You don't understand the concept of closing the door, do you?"

Kratos turned to glare at her. _'It's been a month. How much longer am I going to be tortured with her…'_ "You don't understand the concept of being quiet."

She rolled her eyes in an almost childish way. "Sorry, oh Lord Kratos."

Kratos scowled. She had fallen in the habit of mocking him. "It rains a lot here." He growled, flapping his wings gently.

Anna paused before nodding. "I suppose it does." She shrugged, "But we are on an island. I guess that has something to do with it…"

"Whatever the reason, its unbearable."

Anna planted her fists on her hips, giving Kratos that defiant glare that had come to irk him. "You don't appreciate anything, do you?"

"How can you enjoy it?" He challenged, tired already of arguing.

"Didn't I tell you? Sometimes you have to look beyond what happens in a storm to what happens after, when everything is flourishing. But you…" She smirked, "Just try to stay out of it as long as you have to come in here, OK?"

_End Flashback_

The angel stopped short, causing Anna to run into him. "What?" Her voice had turned to a terrified squeak.

Kratos stared blankly at the rushing water. "We're on an island, remember?"

Anna stared past him, rain dripping down her face. Noishe stumbled up to them out of the brush, panting in exertion. They were trapped and they knew it.

"What can we do?" Anna asked, falling to the ground beside her pet. She picked Noishe up as if to comfort her, cradling him in her arms.

Kratos flinched as the water glowed with the appearance of lightning. He turned to stare back the way they had come. _'Kvar is probably here already…'_ "We'll have to take a chance."

Anna looked up in confusion. Kratos stared across the water. "Luin isn't too far from here. It isn't exactly close, but maybe we can make it."

"But we can't even get to the mainland." Anna argued, "Much less to Luin."

"I can fly. It will be hard since the storm, but I can…perhaps carry you with me." The last part was added a bit awkwardly.

Anna stood, still clinging to Noishe. "Please…just get me out of here."

His mind was made up. He couldn't go back to Mithos now. Maybe never. Easily, Kratos picked up the weak woman, exhausted from panic, Noishe still resting against her. His transparent blue wings spread and he managed to take off amidst the storm.

* * *

Cliffhanger! Sorry if this chapter kind of…stinks. I wanted to get it posted. Thank you for your patience. 


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